F/A-18 Hornet

The F/A-18 Hornet is described as being an all weather fighter and attack aircraft. It is designed for traditional strike operations such as interdiction and close air support without compromising its fighter capabilities. With its excellent fighter and self-defense compatibilities, the Hornet at the same time increases strike mission survivability and supplements the F-14 Tomcat in fleet air defense. Hornets are currently operating 37 tactical squadrons from the air stations world wide, and from 10 aircraft carriers. The Hornet comprises the aviation strike force for 7 foreign countrie

The Hornet has been battle tested and has proved itself to be exactly what its designers intended: a highly reliable and versatile strike fighter. The F/A-18 played an important role in the 1986 strikes against Libya. Flying from USS CORAL SEA (CV 43), F/A-18s launched high-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARMs) against Libyan air defense radars and missile sites, effectively silencing them during the attacks on Benghazi facilities. On the first day of Operation Desert Storm, two Hornets, each carrying four 2,000 lb. bombs, shot down two Iraqi MiGs and then proceeded to deliver their bombs on target. Throughout the Gulf War, squadrons of U.S. Navy, Marine and Canadian Hornets operated around the clock, setting records daily in reliability, survivability and ton-miles of ordnance delivered.

This plane can also carry a huge load of armament through the sky. Can carry up to 13,700 lbs of external ordinance with nine weapon stations; two wingtip stations for sidewinders, two outboard stations for air to air or air to ground weapons, two nacelle fuselage stations for AMRAAMs, Sparrows or sensor pods, and one centerline station for fuel or air to ground weapons. This aircraft is also with a hydraulically operated M61A1 20-mm gun that is internally mounted in the nose of the aircraft.

The Hornet has proven to be an ideal component of the carrier based tactical aviation equation over its 15 years of operational experience. The only Hornet characteristic found to be marginally adequate by battle group commanders, outside experts, and even the men who fly the Hornet, is its range when flown on certain strike mission profiles. However, the inadequacy is managed well with organic and joint tanking assets.

s including Canada, Australia, Finland, Malaysia, Spain and Sweden.

Throughout its service, annual upgrades to Hornets weapon systems, sensors, etc. continued. The latest lot of the C and D models has grown to be far more capable (night attack, precision strike, low observable technologies, etc.) than the original A and B model; however, by 1991, it was becoming clear that avionics cooling, electrical, and spa

Some topics in this essay:
Super Hornet, Canadian Hornets, AMRAAMs Sparrows, Sweden Hornet, Hornet Navy’s, F/A-18 Hornet, F-14 Tomcat, Indicator HSI, Equipment BITE, Infrared NAVFLIR, super hornet, air air, air defense, air ground, close air support, night vision, night attack, future growth, weapon stations, ground weapons, thrust weight ratio, close air, air ground weapons, model super hornet,